Prior to my move, I was concerned about how the COVID-19 pandemic and business closures would affect my move into my new apartment. Although it has created some obstacles in getting everything set up, it has also in a strange way helped with getting settled in. Life has slowed down and I have had the time to get settled in. As of today, Sunday when I am writing this, my boyfriend and I are both fully moved out of our respective bachelor apartments and our keys are turned in. It was a bitter sweet feeling, and it is one I will talk about in a future blog, but it also feels good to be done and not have to worry about it anymore.
Life has changed in the last five weeks (six weeks? I'm starting to lose count). So many people have lost their lives to this virus, and the population is holding its breath, waiting for it all to pass. Who would have thought back in January, when Kobe Bryant died and the world was watching out for Trump to basically start World War III, that something like this would unfold? I remember watching the international news as the virus spread in China, and thinking that we were safe from it here in North America, because it felt like it was so far away. I know I'm not the only one that had this feeling. Boy were we ever wrong. I remember when the first case was announced in Ottawa, Ontario. Although it was inevitable, it still felt crazy. Then it climbed up to ten in less than a week. Now, we are at over 1000 cases in the city. It feels like a good portion of the population here is taking this seriously and respecting the rules laid out, but I've definitely noticed a fair share of people who aren't. For example, a few weeks ago, at the beginning of the social distancing orders, I was at Shoppers Drug Mart with Alex and we were in line, standing near the end of the row of 6 feet distance markers on the ground, and this man was so close behind us, I swear he was coming in for a hug. I whispered to Alex that once we got on the markers, if he was still standing close I would point them out. Of course, he still followed closely once we got in the marked out line. Now, I am not one to call out people in most scenarios, but I was not having it. "Sir, these markers are to space people out. Please stand back" is what I said to him. Despite this being all over the news and the markers being huge and red, it baffled me that I even had to say that to him.
I've been listening to podcasts and watching Youtube videos where COVID-19 has been a topic of conversation often enough. I felt like many of them asked themselves the same questions, which made me reflect. I wanted to share those reflections with you today, in the form of a Q&A.
What do I miss the most during this time?
The thing I miss the most right now is honestly the feeling of normalcy. What is normal though? Well, that varies from person to person. My normal is just getting up at 6:30 on weekdays, commuting to work, frustration with the city transit and all. Normal is saying good morning to all of my coworkers on the way in, petting Buster, my coworkers dog who is there every day, and sitting down at my desk. I miss how normal it is to just go to the grocery store, walking by people on the sidewalk without it being a scary or weird feeling. I miss how normal it is to just make plans with friends for any given day. I definitely think we take for granted the every day things in life, and I also think it is something many of us will no longer take for granted moving forward.
What will I do when all of this is over?
Honestly, I will probably stay put for a little while. Slowly, I may go back out into the world, but still taking the necessary precautions. I fear that the government will be too fast to reopen businesses, and unknowingly sick people will go out and start another spread. It will take a while for things to go back to life as we once knew it. I hope that it won't be too long, but we also need to be prepared for this to go on for quite some time. Once things are back to normal, I look forward to seeing friends. What I most look forward to honestly is going out for brunch with my girlfriends (I already know exactly where I will go...) and just living a normal life of going to work, doing groceries without having to plan for weeks, go to my gym (I will never complain about having to go again) and just doing what I'd like to do without restrictions in place.
What is my daily routine?
Routine is so important. I have been set in my routine for a long time, and with the change of pace at work, I have made some adjustments. I definitely allow myself to sleep in a little bit more, waking up at 7:30 instead of 6:30, since my commute to work has been cut from roughly 50 minutes to 10 seconds. One thing that is super important, even if I am staying home, is to shower in the morning and put clothes on that isn<t my pyjamas that I just slept in. Usually, that will consist of sweats and a t-shirt and knit cardigan, but hey, it's not PJ's. I make sure to have breakfast with a cup of coffee to start my day. I then jump onto my work computer and get things done until lunch. We currently have two morning Zoom meetings per week. Initially, we were just doing conference calls, but we've figured out that seeing each others faces is comforting and a nice feeling. One of our meetings is to catch up on what everyone is working on and ask questions, and the other is to have coffee together and just see how everyone is doing and talk about life outside of work. One thing that is kind of nice is cooking lunch, as opposed to packing a lunch of leftovers or whatnot. I've been mostly just making grilled cheese (lately adding sautéed onion and balsamic glaze... strongly recommend!), Kraft Dinner or I steal a can of Alex's Zoodles or Alphagettis. Honestly, this stuff is nasty in my opinion but its quick and easy. I work for the rest of the afternoon and make sure to close my laptop between 4:30 and 5. It's easy when you work from home to get stuck in the work wormhole... so I make sure to make a point of closing everything unless there is something majorly pressing. After work, I take five steps over to the couch and play on my phone, read or cleanup until Alex gets home. He has been asked to come into work from 1pm to 6, 7 or 8pm, so the evenings are quite quiet until he is back. To wrap up the day, we make or order supper (we’ve been bad lately about ordering, not gonna lie) and then watch a couple episodes of Lucifer, which we have recently gotten into. Life is starting to feel like a big melting pot, each day resembling the next, but we are staying safe and healthy, which is what matters.
What do I wish I was doing to be more productive or maximize this down time?
I have been SO unmotivated lately. I feel like I am most energized when I am keeping busy, am inspired, and healthy. Like I mentioned, every day is like the last and things are starting to get a little boring. I haven't felt particularly motivated. It doesn't help that Ottawa can't seem to decide if it will be spring or not, with all of the random flurries we've been getting. I wish I was getting more exercise in, and going for walks. I really want to get on that, and plan on it. I think I just need one REALLYYYY nice day to go out for a walk and feel that energy again. I really want to get back into my long distance running, but I had put off getting new running shoes, and now can't go into The Running Room to get new ones. I was also going to get a bike, but it is also something I'd rather pick out in person. One thing I can do and want to do more of, is read and write more. I don't want to make excuses, and fully intend to be more productive and active. On that note though, I don't think anyone should feel like they HAVE to be productive and getting super fit. Just because we have more time, we shouldn't feel that extra pressure. It is however a blessing in disguise. The reason why we have more time is absolutely awful, but is a good opportunity to do those things we keep pushing to the bottom of our to-do list, learn new things or even just take better care of ourselves.
What am I doing to stay sane?
I honestly think that if I didn't have Alex around right now, I would have gone crazy by now. I know not everyone is fortunate enough to have people around them right now, and that makes me sad. I hope those people are doing what they can to stay connected to others via technology. Having Alex around is a total blessing. Another thing that has kept me sane is having à new apartment to put my energy into. The unpacking, organizing and designing has definitely helped to change my ideas and add some variety into my days. However, we are almost fully unpacked so that will end soon... I guess I will just change everything around and totally reorganize... Ahah!
What am I currently grateful for?
As I mentioned, I am very grateful to have Alex here with me. Besides that, I am extremely grateful to still be able to work and to have a safe job. I have always been able to work from home when needed, so it wasn't that bad of an adjustment. I simply can't imagine what it's like to be laid off right now, or to be asked to stay home by my place of work. Work has been hard, but it has also kept things normal in the slightest way, which has still been enough. I am also grateful to still be healthy, as I know many are not right now. My loved ones are still healthy and safe as well, and I am very happy and grateful for that.
What has this made me realize?
One thing this entire situation has made me realize is that working from home long-term is something that is possible. If ever I had to take a job where I could only work remotely, or if I moved and was able to keep my job from a distance, it is something I could handle. Another thing is like I mentioned before, is that we take normal everyday life for granted. It is not something you realize until life does a 180 and everything changes.
What is most difficult right now?
The absolute most difficult thing for me right now is finding motivation to do pretty much anything. I have reached that point of mental boredom. Motivation to work, workout and be productive is very much lacking. Of course I get my work done, but it is not something I am hammering out like usual. I am usually a very motivated and energized person, and that lack of motivation and energy is quite difficult. I am working on taking care of myself to find my motivation again, but at this point in time, it is definitely a struggle.
Thank you for reading this far! I hope you are staying safe, are healthy, and that your loved ones are as well. I hope with all of my heart that this will be over sooner than later, and we can all go back to everyday life with a new perspective and gratitude. Stay safe and stay healthy. XO.